John's Doggies... Delaware County, PA??

John's Doggies... Delaware County, PA??

Grew up in Delco. & John's has the best hotdogs. Originally in Chester... don't know if they're still there... a VERY DANGEROUS place to be, sadly. Has another shop in Chichester. Has the most amazing "secret sauce" that I'd LOVE to be able to duplicate. Has come kinda very fine meat in it... assuming beef? LOTS of garlic and VERY finely chopped onions. Kind of a "brown" sauce... if there's tomato in there, it's very minimal. It's NOT a chili. As long as everybody gets the sauce, you're good... cuz you're gonna smell like onions and garlic for quite a while... not that there's anything wrong with that.

If you're familiar with that area, and have a CLUE as to what's in that sauce!?!

Your post had me curious when you used the term, "Very Dangerous," all in caps. Chester, Pa.? Dangerous? So I looked it up on a site that rates safety in cities and it gave it a 4...100 being the safest. Yipes! Never heard about that. I figured Pennsylvania, a pretty peaceful place from my experience. What gives?

Been there, it's pretty good, don't know about the sauce recipe but it was definitely unique. Here's some photos from my blog-

This is on 322 next to the Wawa. The Black & White milkshake was great.

I tried to find the other "John's Doggie Shop" in Chichester and couldn't locate it. It's definitely in a not-terrific area but i'd love to hear if anybody's been there. There's a video that makes it look pretty good. Search "John's Doggie Shop Chester" on youtube.

If you're in that area check out Jimmy John's Piping Hot Sandwiches as well, their natural casing "special frankfurters" are some of the best in the Philadelphia area.

OMG... that picture of the hotdog with that SAUCE... makes me wanna get in my car and drive 45 MILES for one right now! The place in Chichester is right on 322... only a few minutes off 95.

Chester was a REAL CITY when I was a kid. Before malls. Department stores, public transportaion, movies... SAFE!! Now it's a battle ground. Last time I was in Chester, areas looked like they had been BOMBED. It's NOT someplace you want to drive thru... even in broad daylight!

If I listened to the all the warnings from suburbanites not to go to these "dangerous" urban areas, I would have missed out on a lot of great food over the years, as well as a lot of other rewarding experiences. Next time I'm in Phiily, I'll check out the Chester location, which I see is one block from the train station. Hope I make it safely!

Kenny Joe! If you plan on walking from train station to John's... you better take out a SERIOUS life insurance policy well in advance! When I was a kid... Christmas shopping in down-town Chester was like a scene out of "A Christmas Story". My brother would hop on bus right in front of our house, spend the whole day at the Y, eat outta vending machines there, and come home after dark... at about TWELVE years old. Now 12 yo's in Chester carry GUNS!! The school district is LITERALLY ranked LAST in the state... and PA is pretty big. Ironically, Chester butts right up on probably one of the TOP school districts. In Delco.. probably THE best. In the state... maybe top 10-20... outta 500+.

First public school teaching job was in Chester... a million years ago. Last public school job was in Chester... at an alternative school for kids who were no longer "welcome" at the HORRIBLE high school.

If you're in the Philly area... go to the OTHER location, PLEASE!! 95N... 322 (to right) after passing exit for Commadore Barry Bridge... maybe 2-3 miles max on the right... next to Wawa.

There's a place in Newark, N.J. called World's First Italian Style Hot Dogs. It's where the Newark style Italian Hot Dog originated in 1932 when it was called Jimmy Buff's. Buff's sold the business in 1974. It became Lou's (another Italian Hot Dog joint) before Lou sold it to the current owner who renamed it. I've been there a few times and it is in the worst neighborhood imaginable. I'll bet the neighborhood is ranked higher in terms of being more dangerous than Chester. Very few customers are from outside of the neighborhood.

Best Provisions is located nearby. I buy their natural casing franks occasionally as they are not available in stores. I wanted some for the weekend once but couldn't make it there as I had to work and didn't feel like getting up early and going there before work. I asked my wife to go for me. She refused saying that she didn't want to get shot. The next day I read in the paper that a policeman was shot right in front of the place! He was chasing some drug dealers. Fortunately he was saved by his bullet proof vest.

As for John's Doggies, I can see that they serve a skinless frank that appears to be a beef dog. What is the brand and how is it prepared? And is it all beef or something else? These 3 things should be mentioned first and foremost in any description or review of a hot dog establishment.

I speak as someone who grew up in North Philadelphia, and later worked there, and recently worked for 2 years in Chester. I am by no means a nervous suburbanite. Chester is dangerous. Try the Rt322 location.

You guys are funny! I wonder if you think West Philly is safe? My daughter lives there and I like to visit her whenever I'm in Philly, but maybe I should rethink that. In any event, I'm sure there's much greater risk to life and limb in driving to Boothwyn than there is in walking one block in Chester. I generally stay out of cars - I've seen more dead and maimed bodies on the highway than in so-called bad neighborhoods. Last weekend in the interest of marital harmony, I spent some time in a car returning from Johnstown's Famous Coney Island Hot Dogs. On the interstate, we passed a woman who was reading a book while she was driving! It'll be awhile before I get in a car again.

Drugs, high powered weapons, gangs and drug wars have changed the landscape of many towns from safe to deadly. This past weekend in a decent neighborhood of Tempe AZ, close to ASU, 14 people were shot while standing in line to get into a nightclub. All Gang -Drug Related.

Ah.yet another one! Soon we'll all sit at home and get stuff sent from warehouses or d/l onto our devices. The CCBS was a great sprawling place with wonderful New Orleans style restaurant attached. When anne rice, a friend of the owners, showed up a few years back (ok a lotta years back), the line went around the entire shopping center!